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A muddy track and traffic jams did not hamper the Hillsboro cross-country team’s spirit as they participated in the University of Kansas Rim Rock Farm Classic Saturday outside Lawrence.

Coach Stuart Holmes said he usually tries to arrive at meets early so the team can warm up.

“I know they felt rushed,” he said.

He said the muddy track slowed everyone’s times, but Emily Sechrist placed third, with a time of 15 minutes and 49 seconds, improving by one place on the same course from the previous year.

Holmes said she competed very well despite the quality of the track.

J.D. Schmidt finished with a time of 21:34 in the boys’ varsity race. Teammate Jonathan Hinerman had a time of 21:45 in the same race.

Karyn Leihy, with a time of 18:35 and Mary Leihy, with a time of 24:47 also competed.

The team did a great job representing Hillsboro at the Southeast of Saline meet Sept. 24, said Holmes.

Emily Sechrist placed first to add another first place finish to her season.

Sechrist’s time was 15:28, almost half a minute slower than her record-breaking run the previous week.

Holmes said other teammates also had excellent runs; several went on to medal at the meet.

“A highlight was how well Jonathan Hinerman and Lydia Kliewer both ran in the JV races,” he said. “They both medaled and showed determination to press on through the discomfort in the second half of the race that it takes to be a successful cross-country runner.”

Hinerman placed fifth out of 52 runners, and Kliewer placed ninth out of 28. This was Kliewer’s first race on the team.

“The fact that she medaled was impressive and showed some real potential as well,” Holmes said.